Abbé Correia da Serra: A pioneer of the Portuguese presence in the United States

On July 4, the United States of America celebrated Independence Day, the most iconic American national holiday, which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, when the ...

On July 4, the United States of America celebrated Independence Day, the most iconic American national holiday, which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, when the Thirteen Colonies formally proclaimed their separation from the British Empire. Abade Correia da Serra (1751–1823). DR.

In the year that the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, this occasion provides a timely opportunity to revisit some of the foundational moments in the relationship between Portugal and America. This historic bond is particularly significant for Portuguese-Canadians and the broader diaspora, whose community in the U.S. has been distinguished for generations by an entrepreneurial spirit, dynamic community associations, and a strong sense of solidarity, serving as an exemplary representation of Portugal abroad. It is worth noting that Portugal was the third country to formally recognize the independence of the United States, in 1783, a circumstance that explains why diplomatic relations between the two countries are among the oldest and most enduring in American history.

In the opening pages of this bicentennial relationship, the singular figure of Abbé Correia da Serra stands out. He was one of the most remarkable personalities in Portuguese science, culture, and diplomacy, and the first diplomatic representative of Portugal to the United States. Born in Serpa, José Francisco Correia da Serra (1751–1823) left for Italy with his family as a child, seeking to escape persecution by the Inquisition due to their New Christian background.

Between Naples and Rome, he received a solid intellectual upbringing, studying under economist Antônio Genovesi and connecting with Luís António Verney—one of the greatest figures of the Portuguese Enlightenment—who sparked his interest in the natural sciences. With a degree in Canon Law, he embraced religious life and established a close friendship with D. João Carlos de Bragança, the 2nd Duke of Lafões. Upon returning to Portugal in 1778, he co-founded the Royal Academy of Sciences of Lisbon with the Duke of Lafões the following year, an institution that proved decisive for the country’s scientific and cultural development.

His Enlightenment convictions, ties to Freemasonry, and sympathy for both the American and French Revolutions made him the target of growing political hostility. In the late 18th century, he settled in London, where he served in the Portuguese legation and consolidated his international prestige as a botanist, publishing scientific studies within the most prestigious British scientific societies. In 1802, he relocated to Paris, where he socialized with some of the greatest minds of European science, including Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, Alexander von Humboldt, and Georges Cuvier.

Nine years later, refusing to cooperate with Napoleonic policies during the French invasions of Portugal, he departed for the United States. Abbé Correia da Serra (1751–1823) In America, he found the ideal environment to expand his scientific and intellectual pursuits.

The international prestige he already enjoyed, combined with letters of recommendation addressed to President James Madison and Thomas Jefferson from figures such as the Marquis de Lafayette, opened the doors to the American political and academic elite. He became a member of the American Philosophical Society, collaborated with the University of Pennsylvania, and cultivated close friendships with several American statesmen. His connection with Thomas Jefferson was particularly meaningful.

He exchanged more than a hundred letters with the third U.S. President and was a frequent guest at Monticello in Virginia. Today, it is still possible to visit the room reserved for his Portuguese guest at that historic residence—known as “The Abbé’s Room”—a testament to the mutual esteem that united the two men. In 1816, Correia da Serra was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary of Portugal to Washington, becoming Portugal’s first permanent diplomatic representative to the United States.

His profound understanding of American reality and his proximity to the leading figures of the young Republic enabled him to play an important role in consolidating bilateral relations during a decisive period in American foreign policy. Returning to Portugal following the Liberal Revolution of 1820, he was elected to the Constitutional Courts representing the district of Beja, placing his vast international experience at the service of building a liberal Portugal. He passed away in Caldas da Rainha in 1823, leaving behind a scientific, diplomatic, and intellectual legacy that extended far beyond national borders and projected Portugal’s name into the most prestigious academic and political circles of his time.

More than two centuries later, Abbé Correia da Serra remains one of the most remarkable figures in contemporary Portuguese history. An internationally renowned scientist, diplomat, cosmopolitan intellectual, and a man of dialogue between peoples and cultures, he was also a pioneer of the Portuguese presence in the United States, long before the mass migratory waves that marked Portuguese emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. His life demonstrates that the bonds between Portugal and America were also forged through the exchange of knowledge, diplomacy, and the circulation of ideas, finding in him one of their most perceptive champions.

Commemorating his memory is an act of recognizing a unique individual—a precursor to the Portuguese presence in the United States and a figure who helped cement the historic relations of friendship, cooperation, and understanding between Portugal and the American nation. Daniel Bastos/MS The content on the Milénio Stadium website is automatically translated using Google Translate.